All articles tagged with #aca
According to a KFF report, ACA marketplace premiums are likely to surge about 14% next year, driven by higher healthcare costs, inflation and the loss of enhanced tax subsidies; enrollment fell roughly 3 million this year—the program’s first sizable drop since its inception—as insurers file rate increases to cover rising costs.
Centene announced a voluntary separation program offering buyouts to some employees as it confronts higher medical costs, funding cuts and a shrinking member base. The company did not disclose how many workers are impacted or the target layoffs. The move follows a Q1 membership drop of 6% year over year to 26.3 million, with ACA membership down about 2 million in Q1 and an expectation that ACA membership could fall roughly 40% by the end of 2026. Shares dipped about 4% after Bloomberg first reported the plan, and layoffs could follow if the separation targets aren’t met.
Health Secretary RFK Jr. plans a major overhaul of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, vowing to replace all 16 members, increase meeting frequency, and boost transparency to redefine which preventive services insurers must cover under the ACA, a move that critics warn could politicize the panel and reflect his vaccine-skeptical views.
House Republicans are weighing offsets from federal health programs—potentially cutting ACA subsidies and other Medicare payments—to help finance a budget bill up to $200 billion for funding a war in Iran and immigration enforcement. The plan could reduce subsidies, raise out-of-pocket costs for some enrollees, and save more than $30 billion; discussions are in early stages, with moderates wary and Democrats ready to attack. Any legislation would likely use reconciliation to bypass a Senate filibuster, aimed for a 60–90 day timeline.
A new AP News poll finds that many Americans are sacrificing basic necessities to pay for ACA health insurance, highlighting the financial squeeze from rising health-care costs for households.
A California couple’s health care bills surge after Congress let enhanced ACA subsidies lapse, with monthly premiums rising sevenfold and threatening retirement savings. Jean Franklin’s ALS diagnosis enabled Medicare enrollment that saves about $1,600 a month, but the combined costs—including premiums for her plan and her husband’s coverage—remain a heavy burden as millions near retirement face a similar “premium cliff,” contributing to coverage losses and financial strain nationwide.
A Voronoi visualization maps 2026 average monthly ACA Silver-plan premiums by state, with Vermont highest at $1,224; the national average is $752 (up 21% from 2025) as subsidies expire and insurers raise costs. Vermont also spends about 19.6% of income on healthcare, more than triple the U.S. average of 7.9%. Maryland has the lowest premiums at $480, while other states range up to about $1,100 (Wyoming $1,119; West Virginia $1,093). Alaska is the only state with a premium decline year over year; substantial increases occur in Nebraska (29%), Illinois (30%), Florida (33%), Connecticut (21%), and Louisiana (26%).
A Mayo Clinic-led study in JAMA Network Open found cancer patients on high-deductible health plans have significantly higher mortality than those on standard plans (46% higher all-cause, 34% higher cancer-specific). With ACA tax credits expired, premiums surged, pushing more people toward HDHPs and potentially delaying necessary care, which could worsen outcomes for cancer patients.
UnitedHealth Group pledged to eliminate and rebate profits earned from the Affordable Care Act marketplace in 2026, aiming to ease affordability as enhanced ACA subsidies expire and faces scrutiny ahead of House hearings. The move would affect about 1 million UnitedHealth ACA customers, with details being coordinated with the administration.
CMS data show 1.4 million fewer people enrolled in ACA marketplace plans in January 2026 than January 2025, as the expiration of enhanced subsidies raises costs for low- and middle-income Americans; declines are concentrated in the South and Southeast, with some states like Texas and California bucking the trend. Experts warn higher premiums and potential loss of coverage as households face bills, and analysts expect enrollment to fall further amid continued political battles over subsidies.
Most states’ open enrollment for ACA plans ends today as Congress stalls on extending enhanced premium tax credits; 10 states have extended deadlines into late January, while a House-backed three-year extension faces Senate resistance and a bipartisan two-year compromise has stalled. Without subsidy relief, silver-plan premiums could rise around 22% in 2026, according to Urban Institute, complicating enrollment for millions. About 22.8 million people had enrolled in ACA marketplace plans as of Jan. 12, down from last year. Extensions could be retroactive, but mid-year changes would complicate logistics and timelines.
The Trump administration rolled out a broad healthcare plan dubbed The Great Healthcare Plan aimed at lowering ACA costs, including direct payments to individuals and expanded health-savings options, while promising to allow Congress to shape details; however, critics warn the plan lacks specifics and could destabilize ACA marketplaces, with no clear timeline for implementation.
The US House of Representatives, with some Republican support, passed a bill to extend COVID-era healthcare subsidies for three years, but it faces significant opposition in the Senate, making its future uncertain ahead of the midterm elections.
U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, a Republican from Texas, joined Democrats in passing a three-year extension of ACA subsidies, a move that could influence upcoming elections and faces uncertain prospects in the Senate. The measure aims to address rising healthcare costs and protect millions of Texans who benefit from the subsidies, despite opposition from some Republicans.
Enhanced health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act expired at the start of 2026, leading to significant premium increases for millions of Americans, especially affecting middle-class and vulnerable groups, amid ongoing political debates and no immediate legislative relief.